As the list of recent tragedies in the world seems to expand at an ever-increasing rate, I’ve felt lately like I’m grasping at straws, unable to catch my breath or move forward in any productive way to counteract any of this senseless violence. Paris, Belgium, the ongoing conflict in North Africa, our own tragic shooting in Orlando, and now more dead in an airport in Istanbul, Turkey.  …where do we go from here?

Everyone seems to have a different “right” answer, and I am definitely ill-equipped to comment on answers to terrorism or gun control. My heart aches for the beautiful lives lost due to gun violence just as my heart aches for those who have lost their lives in accidents related to my beloved sport.

I was behind on the “blog writing” schedule I had silently promised myself upon leaving on this trip. Thinking that I would have hours upon hours of monotonous flights and buses, certainly I would have lots of extra time to write…right? Wrong. I ended up sleeping or absentmindedly listening to audiobooks...not writing.

For the first time in a few days, I had fast access to wifi, and was excited to take advantage of it.

Almost exactly one year ago, Kelli and I were heading to Cambodia together.  The result was much hilarity (click the video), but also a lot of eye-opening to the realities of poverty in this area of the world.  For the last 5 years, I have worked with an organization called Freedom's Promise. We work to empower the people of Cambodia by partnering with local organizations to provide education opportunities, health care, vocational training, and much more.

I’m currently in the third week of five abroad, and as could be expected, the honeymoon phase is over.  Even though this is a relatively short time away, the post-honeymoon realization has caused me to ponder my current emotions, compare them to my past experiences living in other countries, and compile a list. 

The following may not ring true to everyone’s experience, but it seems to be relatively consistent in mine. 

Phases of adjustment to a new culture:

1.     Delirium.

It's funny the things you come across while cleaning.  Today I happened across a piece of paper on which I had recorded a dream of mine.  I'm not talking about a day dream....or a dream of how my life might be in the future.  Oh no.  What I found was much more amusing.

A night time dream.

The kind you can remember for those first few moments when waking up.

"Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers." -Rilke

Lately, my heart has been aching for Cambodia, for Thailand & India...for all my friends around the world who are suffering.  I want all the answers, I want to find all the solutions.  I want to be everywhere at once.

But I cannot be all those things. 

I can only be here.  And being here means living fully into life in the US.

Hello from beautiful Chiang Mai, Thailand!  I have finally had a chance to breathe and rest this week after a jam-packed schedule in Cambodia.  Every day was filled to the brim, and the few hours I finally slept at night, I crashed hard.  This probably isn’t what would generally be recommended to counteract jetlag, but it sure worked for me! 

I changed cities almost every day for 10 days.

One of my goals for my week in Thailand has been to spend some time really thinking on life: direction/plans/goals/etc.  So far, this has looked like LOTS of time spent in coffee shops.  Luckily, Chiang Mai is basically the hipster Thai version of East Nashville, so spots for good food & excellent coffee are plentiful.

A step by step HOW-TO: 

furniture shopping in Phnom Penh. 

#1. Hop on moto

#2. Locate IKEA

(#2b. Leave IKEA, drive for an hour stopping in *at least* 10 tiny shops until best couches are found)

#3. Drink iced coffee on street while they sew pillows & pack couches

#4. Spot new couches on a tuktuk

#5. chase said tuktuk

#6. Arrive home to unload

#7. Hoist new furniture to 4th story apartment

(#7b)

#8.
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Merry Christmas from Claire, Harvey & Macy!!

In the last 24 hours, the weather has taken a nosedive from nearly 70 degrees to 35 degrees and howling winds.  As someone who works primarily outside, I can't say that I'm incredibly excited about this shift, but now that it actually feels like winter, it's time to dig in to the seasonal ramblings and reflections on the past year.

2012 has certainly been an up an down year for me.  It has been full of heart wrenching goodbyes, and painful seasons.
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